9 days from Marrakech via the desert

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9 days from Marrakech via the desert

Duration

9 days / 8 nights

Starting point

Marrakech

End point

Marrakech

Description

9 days from Marrakech via the desert invite you to discover the magic of Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains, the historic kasbahs and the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Explore vibrant markets, Berber villages and ancient palaces, enjoy a sunset dromedary ride and end your adventure with the Atlantic breeze of Essaouira on a complete journey through Morocco.

Highlights

Tour itinerary

Day 01: Marrakech Airport – Marrakech

We will pick you up at Marrakech airport according to your arrival time and take you to the riad, located in the center of the medina, very close to the famous Jemaa el-Fna square and the great market of Marrakech. You will have the afternoon free to discover a little of the city and, in the evening, have dinner in the square. Overnight at the riad.

Day 02: Marrakech: Visit of Marrakech

After breakfast at our riad in Marrakech we will have a full day in the city. We begin our guided tour at the Bahia Palace, built in the late 19th century with the intention of being the largest palace of its time, then continue to the «Koutoubia» Mosque, notable for its 66-meter minaret (77 meters according to other sources), the tallest building in the city.

The minaret is the symbol and landmark of the city and, without a doubt, its most representative monument. Then we continue through the great souks of Marrakech; in the afternoon you can visit the Majorelle Garden. After our guided tour of Marrakech, return to the riad to rest, with a free evening to stroll around Marrakech’s main square, «Jemaa el-Fna», and enjoy its local atmosphere. Overnight at the riad.

Day 03: Marrakech – Telouet – Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou – Ounila Valley – Ouarzazate

Breakfast at our riad in Marrakech and departure in our private vehicle towards Ouarzazate, crossing the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka pass, at 2,260 m, one of the highest road passes in the country, where we will enjoy incredible scenery and make several stops to photograph the Berber villages.

Then we will turn onto a small road with beautiful scenery to reach the Kasbah of Telouet; we will visit the kasbah and enjoy a typical village lunch. In the afternoon we will continue through the Ounila Valley, among Berber villages where families live in adobe houses hidden in the mountains, until we reach the fortified village of Ait Ben Haddou, where we will visit its famous kasbah (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987).

Several famous films have been shot in this spectacular setting, such as Gladiator, Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra and Sahara with Penélope Cruz. After visiting the kasbah we will leave for Ouarzazate, considered the great gateway to the desert. Dinner and overnight at a hotel.

Day 04: Dades Valley – Todra Gorges – Merzouga Dunes – Night in tents

After breakfast, we will enjoy one of the best views of the Dades Valley from one of the most strategic viewpoints in the mountains. From there we will see the many kasbahs and how picturesque each of them is. After several stops along the way, we will reach the Todra Gorges. Located near the town of Tinghir, they open the way to the desert.

Surrounded by a valley full of palm trees and adobe villages, these are the mountains most prized by climbers. The Todra and Dades gorges are the best known and the most impressive in Morocco.

After a walk in the Todra Gorges and lunch in Tinejdad or Touroug, we leave for the desert to reach the impressive dunes of Merzouga, where we set off on a dromedary caravan for about an hour to reach our nomad tents in the middle of a sea of dunes (Erg Chebbi), and watch one of the most impressive sunsets you have ever seen. Dinner and night in nomad tents in the heart of the desert under a spectacular blanket of stars.

Day 05: Merzouga Desert – Nomad families – Village of Khamlia

Today will be a full desert day. «A date with the sunrise»: since you are in the desert, it is worth getting up early to enjoy the sunrise and this relaxing landscape; we will return by dromedary to the village of Merzouga.

After a hearty breakfast, we will drive around Erg Chebbi, the sand sea where Morocco’s Great Dune rises more than 250 meters high, following tracks that were part of the old Paris-Dakar rally, with the mountains on the Algerian border in the background. We will continue to a nomad settlement where we will learn some of their secrets and customs.

Then we will stop at a viewpoint to see Erg Chebbi as a whole. We will reach the village of Khamlia, whose people originally came from Mali, where we will relax with tea while enjoying a small concert of spiritual Gnawa music. Back at the hotel, after a rest, we will set off on quads for an adrenaline-filled ride across the Erg Chebbi desert and enjoy the sunset from the top of the dunes; then return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 06: Merzouga – Rissani market – Draa Valley – Ouarzazate

After breakfast at our riad, it is time to say goodbye to the desert and start our journey towards Ouarzazate. After 35 km we will reach the town of Rissani, where we will visit its authentic market (if we are lucky and it is a market day: Tuesday,

Thursday or Sunday). Then we will continue through several Berber villages, stopping to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery, and reach the town of Agdz, where we will enjoy a panoramic view of the largest palm grove in Morocco, the «Draa Valley». Later we will cross the Anti-Atlas range to reach Ouarzazate, where we will spend the night. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 07: Ouarzazate – Essaouira

Breakfast at our riad in Ouarzazate and departure for Essaouira, a beautiful coastal town on the Atlantic Ocean. It is a lovely blend of nature and culture with the most bohemian atmosphere in Morocco. Here you will also find beautiful Moroccan crafts to buy, as Essaouira is famous for its craftsmen who work thuya wood and its master jewelers who create beautiful handmade jewelry.

In Essaouira you can also enjoy cuisine based mainly on fish and seafood. Arrival in Essaouira in the afternoon and transfer to the riad to rest, then a free afternoon to stroll through the Essaouira medina and enjoy the beach. Overnight at the riad.

Day 08: Essaouira – Marrakech

Breakfast at the riad and a free day to enjoy the beach of Essaouira and stroll through its medina. In the afternoon we leave for Marrakech and arrive at our riad in the old medina; make the most of its great location to stroll around the main square and the souks of Marrakech and enjoy the local atmosphere. Overnight at the riad.

Day 09: Marrakech – Marrakech Airport

Breakfast at the riad and transfer to the airport 2 hours before your flight, which marks the end of our services and of the trip, hoping you have had a wonderful time.